Chinese Butterfly

Last updated

Chinese Butterfly
Chinese Butterfly by Chick Corea and Steve Gadd album artwork.jpg
Studio album by
Chick Corea and Steve Gadd
ReleasedNovember 22, 2017 (2017-11-22)
Genre Jazz
Length1:35:00
Label Stretch Records
Producer
Chick Corea chronology
Live in Tokyo 1987
(2017)		Chinese Butterfly
(2017)		 Trilogy 2
(2018)
Steve Gadd chronology
Way Back Home
(2016)		Chinese Butterfly
(2017)		Steve Gadd Band
(2018)

Chinese Butterfly is a double album by keyboardist Chick Corea and drummer Steve Gadd. [1] The band is rounded out by saxophonist/flautist Steve Wilson, guitarist Lionel Loueke and bassist Carlitos del Puerto. The album includes five new compositions and features Earth, Wind & Fire singer Philip Bailey on a new recording of "Return to Forever" from 1972. [2] [3]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [3]

In a review for AllMusic, Matt Collar wrote: "With both Corea and Gadd in their seventies at the time of recording, it's refreshing to hear them sound so inventive and willing to explore new songs, even as they look back on their over 50-year partnership. Ultimately, it's that vibrant, in-the-moment reciprocity that makes Chinese Butterfly such a compelling listen." [3]

CJ Shearn of Jazz Views stated: "Chinese Butterfly updates a sound from the late 70's and early 80's for a new generation. The music doesn't rest on its laurels, instead seeking to expand... The album contains some of the strongest playing and compositions of the keyboardist in a long time and an incredibly sympathetic group that uses their strengths to imbue so much color." [2]

Writing for Something Else!, S. Victor Aaron commented: "Chinese Butterfly breaks no new ground but in this case, that can be completely forgiven. The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band cover old ground with such vigor, inspiration and mastery that makes this album just as essential in 2018 as it would have been in 1978." [4]

In an article for Jazz Times , Mac Randall remarked: "Chinese Butterfly is pretty much what you'd expect from two masters of their respective instruments: a lengthy clinic in exploratory improvisation, tight rhythmic interplay and attention-getting virtuosity." [1]

Jazz Monthly's Scott Yanow wrote: "The sound of the band is often very much like some of Corea's freelance projects of the mid-to-late 1970s... Gadd is in a supportive role, clearly enjoying interacting with the other musicians... Always distinctive on electric piano and synthesizer... Corea is in particularly exuberant form." [5]

Pablo Gorondi of the Daily Herald called the recording "an album full of creativity and chops," and stated: "Even after Corea and Gadd move on to other projects, Chinese Butterfly will remain as an impressive memento of their present collaboration." [6]

WBGO's Gary Walker commented: "Any Chick Corea exploration is a fine thing. To travel with a cat with such a fine tuned rhythmic sense makes it that more enjoyable." [7]

Chris Cooke, writing for KIOS-FM , remarked: "The long anticipated musical summit is worth listening to." [8]

Track listing

CD one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Chick's Chums" John McLaughlin 9:23
2."Serenity" Chick Corea 6:39
3."Like I Was Sayin'"Corea6:44
4."A Spanish Song"Corea8:51
5."Chinese Butterfly"Corea11:50
CD two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Return to Forever"Corea17:29
2."Wake-Up Call"Corea, Lionel Loueke 18:13
3."Gadd-Zooks"Corea16:17

[3]

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chick Corea</span> American musician and composer (1941–2021)

Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", "500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba" and "Windows" are widely considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis's band in the late 1960s, he participated in the birth of jazz fusion. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever. Along with McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett, Corea is considered to have been one of the foremost pianists of the post-John Coltrane era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Gadd</span> American drummer (born 1945)

Stephen Kendall Gadd is an American drummer, percussionist, and session musician. Gadd is one of the best-known and highly regarded session and studio drummers in the industry, recognized by his induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1984. Gadd's performances on Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" (1976) and "Late in the Evening", Herbie Mann's "Hi-jack" (1975) and Steely Dan's "Aja" (1977) are examples of his style. He has worked with other popular musicians from many genres including Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione, Eric Clapton and Michel Petrucciani.

Bill Connors is an American jazz guitarist who was a member of Chick Corea's band Return to Forever. After leaving Return to Forever, he recorded three acoustic albums and then three electric albums as a leader/soloist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chick Corea Elektric Band</span> Jazz fusion band

Chick Corea Elektric Band was a jazz fusion band, led by keyboardist and pianist Chick Corea and founded in 1986 in New York City. The band was nominated twice at the Grammy Awards. The sixth band album, a tribute one named Chick Corea Elektric Band II - Paint the World and released in 1993, received an additional nomination the next year. The group reunited in 2003, and Corea died in 2021.

<i>The Mad Hatter</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Chick Corea

Mad Hatter is a studio album by Chick Corea. Released in 1978, it is a concept album inspired by Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

<i>The Leprechaun</i> (Chick Corea album) 1976 studio album by Chick Corea

The Leprechaun is a studio album by Chick Corea, released in 1976. It features horn and string sections, and vocals from Corea’s wife Gayle Moran, formerly of Mahavishnu Orchestra.

<i>Light Years</i> (Chick Corea album) 1987 studio album by Chick Corea Elektric Band

Light Years is an album by the Chick Corea Elektric Band. It features Chick Corea with guitarist Frank Gambale, saxophonist Eric Marienthal, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Dave Weckl. The album received the 1988 Grammy Award for the Best R&B Instrumental Performance.

<i>Friends</i> (Chick Corea album) 1978 studio album by Chick Corea

Friends is a studio album by Chick Corea. It features a quartet of Corea, saxophonist Joe Farrell, acoustic bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Steve Gadd. It was released by Polydor Records in 1978, and the cover featured The Smurfs.

<i>Return to the Seventh Galaxy: The Anthology</i> 1996 compilation album by Return to Forever featuring Chick Corea

Return to the 7th Galaxy: The Anthology is a 1996 compilation of 1972-1975 recordings made by bands assembled by Chick Corea under the name Return to Forever. The collection includes tracks from the albums Light as a Feather, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, Where Have I Known You Before and No Mystery, together with four previously unreleased tracks.

<i>Three Quartets</i> 1981 studio album by Chick Corea

Three Quartets is a studio album released in 1981 by jazz pianist Chick Corea, in collaboration with tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Steve Gadd.

<i>Rendezvous in New York</i> 2003 live album by Chick Corea

Rendezvous in New York is an album by American pianist Chick Corea that was released on April 22, 2003 by Corea's label, Stretch Records. The recording took place at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City over the course of three weeks. Corea reunited with members from nine bands that he played with in the past. Musicians included Terence Blanchard, Gary Burton, Roy Haynes, Bobby McFerrin, Joshua Redman, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Miroslav Vitous.

<i>To the Stars</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Chick Corea Elektric Band

To the Stars is an album by American jazz fusion group the Chick Corea Elektric Band, released on August 24, 2004, by Stretch Records. Jazz musician Chick Corea, a longtime member of the Church of Scientology, was inspired by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's science fiction 1954 novel To the Stars. Hubbard's book tells the story of an interstellar crew which experiences the effects of time dilation due to traveling at near light speed. A few days experienced by the ship's crew could amount to hundreds of years for their friends and family back on Earth.

<i>Five Peace Band Live</i> 2009 live album by Chick Corea & John McLaughlin

Five Peace Band Live is a 2009 post bop/jazz fusion album from keyboardist Chick Corea and guitarist John McLaughlin with alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta.

<i>The Chick Corea Elektric Band</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Chick Corea

The Chick Corea Elektric Band is an album by jazz and fusion keyboard player Chick Corea, released in 1986. It is the eponymous debut album of the Chick Corea Elektric Band, which at that time also featured drummer Dave Weckl, bass player John Patitucci and guitarists Scott Henderson and Carlos Rios.

<i>Touchstone</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Chick Corea

Touchstone is an album by Chick Corea, released in 1982 through Warner Bros. Records. The album peaked at number nine on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.

<i>Inside Out</i> (Chick Corea album) 1990 studio album by Chick Corea Elektric Band

Inside Out is an album by the Chick Corea Elektric Band, released in 1990 through the record label GRP. The album peaked at number six on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

<i>Beneath the Mask</i> 1991 studio album by Chick Corea

Beneath the Mask is an album by Chick Corea Elektric Band, released in 1991 through the record label GRP. The album peaked at number two on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

<i>The Vigil</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Chick Corea

The Vigil is an album recorded by Chick Corea and released sixth of August 2013. In the Billboard Jazz albums charts the album peaked at number 4. The album won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album at the 15th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.

<i>Antidote</i> (Chick Corea album) 2019 studio album by Chick Corea and The Spanish Heart Band

Antidote is a studio album by Chick Corea and The Spanish Heart Band. The album received a Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

<i>Love Will Find a Way</i> (Philip Bailey album) 2019 studio album by Philip Bailey

Love Will Find a Way is a jazz album by Philip Bailey released in November 2019 on Verve Records. The album reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

References

  1. 1 2 Randall, Mac (March 3, 2018). "Chick Corea & Steve Gadd: The Past That Never Was". Jazz Times. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Shearn, CJ. "Chick Corea / Steve Gadd Band: Chinese Butterfly". Jazz Views. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Collar, Matt. "Chick Corea / Steve Gadd : Chinese Butterfly". AllMusic. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  4. ↑ Aaron, S. Victor (February 17, 2018). "The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band – Chinese Butterfly (2018)". Something Else!. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  5. ↑ Yanow, Scott. "The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band: Chinese Butterfly". Jazz Monthly. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  6. ↑ Gorondi, Pablo (January 18, 2018). "Review: Chick Corea, Steve Gadd join up on impressive album". Daily Herald. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  7. ↑ Walker, Gary (January 12, 2018). "Hear Chick Corea and Steve Gadd Reunite with 'Chinese Butterfly,' on Radar". WBGO. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  8. ↑ Cooke, Chris (February 3, 2018). "Last Call Review: The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band/Chinese Butterfly/Stretch Records". KIOS-FM. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.